Plant band director fired

Hillsborough School Board members voted Thursday to fire the former band director of Plant High School, accused last year of text-messaging a student more than 525 times.

School officials said John Sinibaldi, 47, engaged in unprofessional behavior. They said they warned him about the messaging and about allowing a middle school student to participate in the Plant band program, school spokesman Stephen Hegarty said.

Sinibaldi disagreed in the termination hearing. The instructor did not think he had been warned, Hegarty said. He also pointed out that school officials had no proof the text messages contained inappropriate information.

His daughter testified that she had been sending messages to the student from her father's phone.

School officials were not swayed. They agreed with superintendent MaryEllen Elia's recommendations, finding that Sinibaldi had violated school policies and showed a "failure to demonstrate competency to perform the duties of employment."